A laugh bursts from me. “I’m trying to be romantic and you’re getting technical on me. Plus, you wouldn’t be alone. Tsuki would be with you.”
At the mention of her name, she leaps on to our laps, covering us with kisses. “Hey, pretty girl,” Annalise coos, scratching the spot behind Tsuki’s neck that she loves so much. “You love me more than your daddy, don’t you?” Tsuki barks in response. “I knew it.”
“Please, that was a mere coincidence,” I say, rolling my eyes. Tsuki moves close to Annalise, nuzzling her head against her.
“So,whenyou open up your own boutique, what will you name it?” I ask while I run my fingers through her hair.
Her smile widens, eyes sparkling with joy. “I would call it Thorny Roses.”
“Thorny Roses. I love it!”
“Maybe I’ll get Mazi to help me take pictures of the clothes to post on the website!”
“Yes! Now we’re talking. I love seeing you get excited about something again.”
“Thank you, Maddox. For lifting me up when I doubt myself.”
“I will continue to lift you up. I hope one day you can see yourself the way I see you.” Tilting her chin, I place a soft kiss on her lips. “Perfect.”
She smiles and brings her lips back to mine once more.
“Do you wanna take a dip in the lake before we leave?” I ask.
“But we didn’t bring swimsuits.”
Shrugging, I strip off my clothes and jump into the lake, splashing water everywhere.
“Maddox, you got me wet!” She groans.
“Damn, already?” I flash her a suggestive smile and she shakes her head. “Come join me! The water feels perfect!”
“You are crazy.” She hesitates for a moment before stripping down and jumping in.
A few days after our date, I schedule a meeting with Veronica to discuss the collaboration. Trang still hasn’t come up with a single design that I like.
“What is it you wanted to discuss with me, Mr. Kamado?” Veronica says, motioning for me to sit down.
Shutting the door behind me, I take a seat on the leather chair opposite her. “The collaboration. I’m afraid it’s not working out.”
Her face pales. “W-what do you mean? I thought things have been going well.” She chews on her bottom lip and bounces her knee under the table as she waits for my response.
Leaning forward, I rub my temples and let out a heavy sigh. “Ms. Zhang, I tried giving Trang a chance, but she continues to do the exact opposite of what I tell her.”
Veronica swallows, the color in her face draining further. She now matches the white wall behind her.
“You told me Trang is the best, but I don’t think she’s the best person for this collaboration. I need to work with someone who understands my vision.”
I should’ve had this conversation with Veronica months ago, when Trang first showed me her horrendous designs, but coming to Dauntless gave me an excuse to see Annalise—even though she gave me the cold shoulder during those first few weeks.
I don’t need to use Dauntless as an excuse now that we’ve worked things out, but there’s something so thrilling about keeping our relationship a secret while we’re here. The stolen glances we exchange when no one is looking, the quick kisses in the elevator, and the way our hands brush against each other in passing keeps my heart racing.
Veronica reaches for her water bottle, taking large gulps from it. “So does this mean you still want to work with Dauntless for the collaboration?”
I nod. “Although it didn’t work out with Trang, I would still love to collaborate with Dauntless.”
A hint of color returns to her face and her shoulders relax. “I apologize, Mr. Kamado. Trang is the top fashion designer at Dauntless, and I truly thought she was the best person suited for the role. But you are valuable to us, and I don’t want to continue wasting your time if you are not satisfied with Trang. I will work hard to find you someone more suited for the role.”
I highly doubt that whoever she replaces Trang with will be able to capture my vision. There’s only one person who is capable of doing that. “Perhaps the person you’re looking for is someone who has been hiding in the shadows, waiting for her chance to shine.”
